Matt Damon’s 3 Favorite Movies Feature the Same Legendary Actor
Rotten Tomatoes has a long tradition of asking actors and directors to name their five favorite movies. For example, Matt Damon once named his five favorite movies — and three feature the same iconic actor. During the interview, Damon said he didn’t name three movies with the same actor “on purpose” — he’s just a huge fan of the star.
Matt Damon answered an ‘impossible’ question about movies
Damon told Rotten Tomatoes his favorite movie ever is The Godfather Part II. “Well, I’ve always said Godfather II,” he revealed. “I think that movie’s pretty near perfect. It’s an impossible thing to answer, your five favorite movies, but I would put that one, just for its direction, its writing, and its acting, its production value. I mean, it’s really amazing.”
Subsequently, Damon revealed he discussed The Godfather Part II while making Martin Scorsese’s The Departed. Damon asked director Scorsese, who is known for directing gangster movies, if he preferred The Godfather or The Godfather Part II. Scorsese preferred the latter. When asked why, Scorsese responded the sequel had a higher budget.
Notably, Damon’s second favorite film is another gangster movie, Goodfellas. “If I come across it on my DirecTV … ” he paused. “I literally try not to, because if I turn it on, I can’t turn it off. It’s just that great. I mean, it just ages so perfectly. It just gets better with age.” Damon noted the film is quite long but it doesn’t feel long because of its pacing.
What he said about the actor who was in 3 of his favorite movies
Damon’s third favorite film is another Robert De Niro movie: Midnight Run. “I’m going to put a comedy in there and say Midnight Run,” he said. “That was a movie that in college and in high school, my friends and I could quote probably every line of that movie.” He said he’s still able to quote obscure lines from Midnight Run in his 50s.
Rotten Tomatoes noted all three of the films he mentioned starred De Niro “Yes, yeah, I guess so: I put three of his movies in there!” Damon said. “I didn’t do that on purpose. I am a huge fan of his, though, and I love him a lot.” The final two movies Damon mentioned as personal favorites did not star De Niro. They were Jaws and Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb.
Matt Damon starred in 1 of the only movies Robert De Niro directed
Notably, Damon starred in the movie The Good Shepherd. This is the only film De Niro directed besides A Bronx Tale. According to Box Office Mojo, the film earned over $9 million during its opening weekend. It ultimately made over $100 million worldwide. Damon is a major De Niro fan — and he managed to star in a movie directed by the legendary actor.
